New Restaurant Downtown... Indochine

[BridgeTroll]

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2010-09-21/new-restaurant-opens-downtown

New restaurant opens in downtown Jacksonville

Submitted by Gary Mills on September 21, 2010 - 5:08pm

Downtown’s newest â€" and only â€" Thai restaurant is now open.

Indochine, located above the Burrito Gallery at 21 E. Adams St., opened for business Tuesday. Its menu is a mix of Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine

Restaurant veterans Mark Salter (Square One, Pom’s Thai Bistro), Ladda Salter (Basil Thai & Sushi, Pom’s Thai Bistro) and Executive Chef Susie Sysouvanh (Thai Garden) are partners in the new venture.

With its large windows and exposed brick walls and ductwork, Indochine has a loft-like feel. An L-shaped planter separates the space into two dining areas, an open space â€" perfect for happy hour celebrations â€" and a more intimate, carpeted area â€" ideal for lingering dinners and conversation. The latter features dark wood tables and booth seating with grassy green-colored cushions running the length of one wall. Artwork â€" some for sale â€"hangs throughout the space.

For lunch, there’s a selection of starters (Fried Tofu, $6; Crab Rangoons, $6), salads (Baby Mixed Greens, $5; Yum Salad, $7-9) and soups (Wonton Soup, $4; Pho, $9-11). Entrees range from Pad Thai to Fried Rice to Mixed Vegetables to Red Curry and more ($9-11). The expanded dinner menu features Duck Curry ($19), Short Ribs ($22), Sea of Indochine (22) and more.

From the bar, there’s specialty cocktails including Thai Mojito ($8), Pomegranate Martini ($8) and Blood Orange Margarita ($11). In addition to import and domestic beers, Indochine features four Bold City Brewery drafts: Killer Whale Cream Ale, Mad Manatee IPA, Fritz Hefeweizen and Dukes Brown Ale. And of course, there’s sake.

Indochine is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m.

[downtownjag]

Yesterday it was open for lunch; the chicken pad thai and the Yum salad with chicken were both amazing and the place couldn't have looked any cooler inside. Waitstaff was friendly.  Should be a hit!

[Captain Zissou]

I can't wait to try this out.  I think I'll be there next week.  I was in the space when it was empty, so it will be neat to see it built out.

[ben says]

Took an early lunch today and walked over to Indochine to check it out. A few observations...

1) Beautiful decor, nice ambiance. Nice looking place to have a meal.

2) I was the only person in there. Granted, it was 11:15 on their second day, but I guess i was a little shocked at the lack of people...Also, there were about 10-15 employees walking around, not including kitchen staff. Wondering how they can afford to keep that going...I had never seen so many employees in one room in my life.

3) Food took 20 minutes to come out. May be because I was "early" and the woks were just heating up--but Asian food usually comes out much quicker. High heat-->low cook time.

4) Ordered a 6 level spice on their scale of 1-6. Wasn't spicy at all. My friends dish (spice level 3) was hotter than my 6. Odd.

5) 11-16 dollars a dish, for lunch, seems a bit steep. Tumptim Thai pulls off similar dishes for under 10 dollars.

6) Food was good, but not outstanding. The sauce w/ the mixed vegetables & shrimp dish was too watery. I think I may have gone in their with too high expectations. After all, they just opened yesterday. That being said, I 100% plan on going back. It's nice to have quality Thai two blocks from work. I think there's a lot of potential here, especially when their food gains consistency. I *fingers crossed* think they may just be able to pull off this kind of food in the urban core. Let's hope they get a Burrito Gallery type following, and they'll be just fine!

[ben says]

*Also, outside of pho (and 1 or 2 other side dishes), I didn't really see much Vietnamese influence, which I was desperately hoping for. Seems pretty straight forward Thai. Not as much a complaint as an observation.

[downtownjag]

Tough crowd, I thought it was pretty good and it's outstanding to have a Thai location downtown... anyone that eats downtown on a regular basis has to be as sick of the monotony as I am.  Valid observations though.

[ben says]

Tough crowd, I thought it was pretty good and it's outstanding to have a Thai location downtown... anyone that eats downtown on a regular basis has to be as sick of the monotony as I am.  Valid observations though.

Sorry if I came off a little too harsh--just thought some people, because of the newness of the place, may want a straightforward assessment. New places need that kind of response--it could only make them better in the end.

I unequivocally agree, and even stated, I 100% plan on going back, and I'm equally happy there is a solid Thai place downtown. I work downtown, and live nearby, so I'll be frequenting the place quite often. I also detest the monotony of downtown food choices.

[SecularHumanist]

We went early for dinner one night and had a terrific experience, and our standards are rather high.   Cocktails were fun and fresh, and the food was quite good.   A second visit during a very busy Artwalk Wednesday night also went smoothly.   We liked everything but the star of the show, by unanimous vote, was the curried short rib.  Unctuously tender and rich, with a playful use of spice in the background.   

One other thing that may not matter to some people - the acoustics were excellent.  Clever use of exposed brick and carpeting means that your ears won't be bleeding if the place fills up.

[ben says]

Been back to this place, many times, since my initial review. Really seems like they hit their stride. Got to be one of the best Thai places in Jacksonville. I'd say their curries are the best I've had anywhere in Jacksonville. Their noodle dishes are definitely better than Tumptim Thai, my previous favorite spot.

[JaxNative68]

had lunch there last friday.  the place was packed and the food was great.  a must stop for anyone who hasn't aready.

[blizz01]

Loved it - still waiting for anything negative to appear on Urbanspoon.....

[BigGuy219]

I'm very embarrassed to admit this, but I can't find Indochine. The building is outside my window. I'm looking at it right now. I see the sign out on Adams Street. I see the awning that says Indochine. But I walk in and see nothing, so I look around a bit, and then nervously stumble into Burrito Gallery. Believe it or not, this has happened twice now. Any help? I'm being serious. 

[BigGuy219]

its upstairs

Yes, but I've yet to even find the stairs. I walk in the door and on the left I see a secondary entrance to the Burrito Gallery and to the right I see a small elevator. No stairs. Nothing. 

[thelakelander]

The stairs are in the front of the building.  The elevator will also take you up to the restaurant.

[ChriswUfGator]

Maybe he was too busy looking over his shoulder and running from some guy who was asking him for a dollar to find the stairs? Kind of like those movies where the stalker is approaching the woman and she keeps pushing the elevator button faster and faster hoping the doors will open before it's too late.